A FURIOUS businessman has blasted planners after they gave Bentley permission to build on leisure land but refused his development which includes a refurbished park.

Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council has turned down developer Fourth Estates’ application to build nine houses on the site of the former bowling green behind the North Ward Club, off Hall O’Shaw Street in Crewe.

“The main reason they gave was to protect open land but then they go and let Bentley build a car park on leisure land,” said a furious Phillip Keogh, agent for Fourth Estates.

“It’s one rule for one and another for us.”

Mr Keogh says because the land is owned by Fourth Estates he understands the public has no right to use it anymore.

Fourth Estates offered to revamp a rundown children’s park off Queen Street at a cost of £68,000 in return for building on the former bowling green.

Mr Keogh said this was refused – as was an offer to build a green on the park opposite the club.

He added there are four redundant greens in the borough. “The council won’t accept my study proving there isn’t a need for others and want us to spend up to £10,000 getting another study done,” he said.

A council spokesman said the green is protected under the open spaces policy and development was only allowed where a “carefully quantified assessment” demonstrates an excess of public open space or that the playing field to be lost would be replaced.

He said the Bentley applications had been considered against this policy.

“Unlike the application at the North Ward Club, these sites are required in order to allow for Bentley’s future expansion which, as a major local and regional employer, will deliver substantial economic development benefits,” said the spokesman.

He added Bentley also agreed to fund upgrades to sports pitches in the area to compensate for loss of the existing playing fields.”